This invention relates to an apparatus for oscillate winding strip into coils. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus for oscillate winding narrow strip onto a fixedly mounted and rotating winding reel by imparting lateral motion to the strip without permanently distorting the strip.
Incident to the manufacture of narrow strip, such as stainless steel, it is customary to oscillate wind the strip into coils to accommodate the maximum strip length in a single wound coil. Stainless steel strip of this character may be in strip widths as narrow as 3/16 inch (4.7 mm). The strip is typically wound onto a reel to form successive, abutting convolutions along the length of the reel in multiple layers. The coil so wound must be sufficiently tight to permit transport and handling.
Apparatus presently used for this purpose embodies a winding reel adapted for lateral movement during the winding operation to form the successive strip convolutions along the surface of the reel. A fixed guide roll is provided to guide the strip onto the winding reel. As the coil is formed successively on the winding reel, it is necessary to have equipment that produces lateral oscillation of the reel capable of handling up to the maximum weight of the finally wound coil. Conventionally, the practical weight limit for a coil is approximately 2000 lbs. because heavier coils cannot be oscillated with the equipment presently available.
To overcome this problem, it has been proposed to maintain the winding reel fixed and oscillate the guide roll laterally and axially to avoid the problem of providing for oscillation of the winding reel and coil formed thereon. It has been found, however, that when lateral movement is imparted to the guide roll alone, this lateral motion, which is likewise transmitted to the strip, causes a continuous and variable camber in the strip. This camber is permanent and is detrimental to subsequent processing operations for it requires straightening prior to the strip being further processed, for example, forming and stamping, for many of its intended purposes.